Their Return
by staygoldgreaser
Summary: Ginny waits beside the Black Lake for Harry, Ron, and Hermione to return during her seventh year. Prompt: Red.


Ginny stood beside the Black Lake, her eyes cast at the surrounding mountains. The wind tossed her hair around in every possibly direction, producing more and more knots within it with every swift breeze. But Ginny didn't care - she had her eyes set on the peak of a nearby mountain.

While she was finishing up her final year at Hogwarts, preparing for her N.E.W.T. exams, her friends - Harry and Hermione - and her brother - Ron - had fled to fight in the Final Battle against Lord Voldemort. Ginny had begged and pleaded them to let her come along - looking back, she found she seemed absolutely annoying - she was just a year younger than them (at the time, they were all eighteen, though Hermione turned nineteen in September and Ron in March - Harry still had another month or so before he turned nineteen). Unfortunately, her mother had threatened to skin her alive if she left school against her orders.

So Ginny stayed in school, Luna being her only confident. She sent letters to Harry, Ron and Hermione as much as she possibly could, hoping they would find the time to read them and write back. It usually took more than two or three weeks for her to receive replies - it once took Hermione four months to reply to a letter Ginny'd written, simply because she couldn't find the time.

Today, though, was a day more extraordinary than one on which she receiver a letter from one of the trio - today, they were set to return.

Ginny had received a letter from Harry just a week ago, which she was happy to receive, just as long as the news inside were good. This news was beyond good:

i Ginny,  
I'm sorry I've been so scarce with my letter writing. It's been really hard on all of us these past months, but, finally, I've found enough time to sit down and write you a nice long letter that I'm sure you'll appreciate.

Ginny, you won't believe it. Less than a week ago, after months and months of searching with some top-notch Aurors, we finally found him. /b 

There were a few letters that had been etched out, and Ginny would clearly tell they read "Voldemort". Harry must have written it and decided it would make Ginny wince. It didn't help - knowing what had been written beneath the scratches made her cringe anyway.

She read on:

i It happened just like I thought it would: Ron, Hermione, the Order members, and the Aurors fought the Death Eaters, and I fought him. Ginny, _I killed him_. I don't know how I did it, but somehow I managed to kill him. He's gone for good.  
Ron, Hermione and I will be returning to Hogwarts on the twenty-third of June to take you back to the Burrow. Don't mind bringing your stuff, Lupin agreed to go to King's Cross to get it, I'm sure Luna or Colin or someone would bring it on the train for you. You don't even know, there's so much we need to tell you.

See you soon,  
Harry /i 

The letter was now folded, resting in Ginny's jeans pocket. She crossed her arms, trying to warm her arms from the breeze. She pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes, trying to clear her vision. Without warning, three small, black dots came flying over the forest that rested upon a mountain. Ginny's heart leaped into her throat - she knew it was them.

Ginny could no longer stand still. She had to keep switching her weight between her legs, hold her hands on her head to keep her hair from blowing around, untie and tie her sneakers.

Finally, after what seemed like years, they come to the ground, landing on the lake's shore. Ginny wasn't sure who she should run to first, but she found it fitting that she hug Harry. So she did.

"I'm so happy, Harry, I'm so proud, I'm so glad you're all right."

Harry put his arm around her, holding on to his Firebolt with the other. Ginny looked into his eyes - he looked tired, and grey bags had formed under his eyes. He had a faint smile on his face - one that looked, to Ginny, like a Lupin smile. She hugged him tightly, and he hugged her back.

Ginny then moved to Hermione - her best friend. Her hair was limp, and not nearly as bushy as normal - Ginny couldn't decide whether she liked it or not, for her bushy hair was what made Hermione's appearance stand out, unless you were counting her undeniable beauty. She hugged Ginny with as much enthusiasm as she imagined she could muster.

Next was Ron, whose red hair had grown past his shoulders - for the first time in her life, Ginny realized how alike Bill and Ron looked, hair not included. She hugged him, more than happy that she wasn't the only Weasley standing on Hogwarts grounds anymore, for she hated that feeling more than anything.

Ginny stepped back and looked at the three of them, all smiling at their reunion.

"Let's get out of here," Harry said. "Lots to do, lots to say." The three climbed onto their brooms (Ginny was surprised that Hermione could ride the broom on her own, for she had heard that Hermione wasn't exactly the best broom-rider around), and Ginny climbed on behind Harry, hugging his waist. They took off into the cool air, Ginny's hair blowing behind her, as they set off for the Burrow.


End file.
